Voting in Singapore's general election began in the morning after the opening of the polling stations on Saturday.

A passenger aircraft has crashed in eastern Indonesia with up to 27 people on board, a transport ministry spokesman says.

British voters have rejected the idea of replacing the current first-past-the-post voting system for parliamentary elections with Alternative Vote (AV), according to the referendum's counting result released on Friday evening.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Friday that Chubu Electric Power Co should halt all operations at its Hamaoka nuclear plant in central Japan, due to worries a strong earthquake could cause another nuclear crisis.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on May 6 rejected a Thai demand to withdraw troops from Preah Vihear temple at the disputed border area, saying that Bangkok was not serious about peace.

This week may have been one of Barack Obama's best as US President: the long manhunt for the mastermind of the September 11 attacks ended, oil prices fell and Republicans hoping to oust him had a poor first debate.

Al Qaeda confirmed on Friday that Osama Bin Laden was dead, dispelling doubts by some Muslims the group's leader had really been killed by US forces, and vowed to mount more attacks on the West.

Ministers from member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attended meetings in Indonesia on May 5-6 to review regional cooperation and review preparations for the 18th ASEAN Summit (ASEAN-18).

China and the United States will launch their first strategic security dialogue in Washington this month, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said in Beijing on Friday.

Documents found at Osama Bin Laden's Pakistan home suggest he was planning attacks on the US including on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, US reports say.